Tensions rose on ABC’s “The View” after regular host Whoopi Goldberg claimed during Monday’s broadcast that the Holocaust was “not about race.”
Goldberg and her co-hosts — Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Ana Navarro — were discussing reports that a Tennessee school had pulled the graphic novel “Maus” over concerns about language and nudity, and the conversation turned to the subject of “Maus”: the Holocaust.
“A Tennessee school pulled the graphic novel ‘Maus’ out of their lessons on the Holocaust because it contained some nudity and some bad language,” Goldberg began. “Personally, I’m shocked because, you know, given the story of ‘Maus,’ I’m surprised that’s what made you uncomfortable, the fact that there was some nudity. I mean, it’s about the Holocaust. The killing of 6 million people, but that didn’t bother you? But the naked —”
“I am not sure they don’t use the naked part as kind of a canard to throw you off from the fact that they don’t like history that makes white people look bad,” Joy Behar added.
“Maybe. This is white people doing it to white people. Y’all go fight amongst yourselves,” Goldberg continued.
“This was the plan with these anti-history laws that started being passed,” Sunny Hostin argued that banning books like “Maus” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” was the natural next step after attempts to ban Critical Race Theory. “I’ve always said if my children are subjected to racism at a very early age, which they are, then your child should be okay with having a little bit of discomfort and learning about the racism that exists.”
WATCH:
Sparks fly as The View panel confronts Whoopi after she says “the Holocaust isn’t about race. No. It’s not about race.”
“Well, the considered Jews a different race,” Joy Behar says.“But it’s about white supremacy. It’s about going after Jews and Gypsies,” Ana Navarro adds. pic.twitter.com/GZwZSi2qXi
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) January 31, 2022
“If we’re going to do this, let’s be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn’t about race. No. It’s not about race,” Goldberg said.
“They considered Jews a different race,” Joy Behar pushed back.
“It’s not about race. It’s not about race,” Goldberg insisted.
“What is it about?” Behar asked.
“It’s about man’s inhumanity to man. That’s what it’s about,” Goldberg replied.
“But it’s about white supremacy,” Navarro objected. “It’s about going after Jews and gypsies —”
“But it’s not about —” Goldberg interrupted. “These are two white groups of people. How do we —”
“They came after black people too,” Behar pointed out, noting that the Nazis had not considered Jews to be “white” either.
“But you’re missing the point. You’re missing the point. The minute you turn it into race, it goes down this alley,” Goldberg was insistent. “Let’s talk about it for what it is. It’s how people treat each other. It’s a problem. It doesn’t matter if you are black or white because black, white, Jews, Italians, everybody eats each other. So is it — if you are uncomfortable if you hear about ‘Maus,’ should you be worried — should your child say, ‘Oh my God, I wonder if that’s me? No. That’s not what they’re going to say. They’re going to say, ‘I don’t want to be like that.'”
“Well, hopefully,” Behar agreed.
“We’re living in an era where people are comparing vaccine cards to the yellow stars, the cards, where people are comparing vaccinations to what Anne Frank went through,” Navarro noted. “It’s necessary for kids to learn about the Holocaust.”
“Learning about man’s inhumanity to man however it exposes itself. I have to cut you off,” Goldberg wrapped the segment.
Related: ‘I Stand Corrected’: Whoopi Goldberg Apologizes Hours After Claiming Holocaust Was ‘Not About Race’